April 10, 2008
How Time Flies.
“Lia? You in there?”
The woman grunted, too involved in her work to bother with a more coherent answer. She knew Riana knew her well enough to interpret the sound.
Sure enough, not two minutes passed before the taller woman’s shadow darkened the doorway. That got a more verbal – and more vehement – response from Lia.
“You,” she snapped, pointing at Riana with her chisel, “are in my light.” Without waiting for a response, Lia turned back to the stone wall before her.
Riana chuckled, moving aside. “How much longer?”
“I’m on the last symbol. I’ll be done in a few minutes.”
“Good. The metalworkers are anxious to get started.”
“I’m sure.”
“Besides, you have some ruling to do.”
“I know. I’m done, anyway.” Lia stood, placing her chisel back into her toolpouch as she surveyed her handiwork. The newest episode in her clan’s history was now carved into the temple walls, missing only the gold that would fill in all the letters. Several kings’ ransoms worth of gold already glinted from the older stories, but not a single Thaziazhsta would begrudge the expense.
Turning from the wall at last, Lia headed for the door. The metalworkers moved in behind her, chattering excitedly about the project before them. Riana watched, amused, as Lia took a moment to straighten the red crown set atop her copper hair before heading out into the desert sun.
A memory hit Riana then, and she stopped in the temple doorway, lips curving up in a bittersweet smile. A strong hand seized her wrist, and Riana found herself shaken from her reverie, looking up into worried gold eyes. “I’m fine,” the paler woman said. “I was just thinking.”
Gold eyes surveyed her for a moment longer, and Riana held her breath. Then that dark face was split by a painfully familiar smirk, and Liamariye III, Queen of the Red Lands, turned and went about her business.
Yes, she is very much like you, my friend. You’d be quite proud of your newest namesake…even if she is shorter than you…
